Description

More space combat and strategy in this sequel, which challenges you to collect the elements to form a bomb to destroy a resistance force, before delivering them through heavy fighting. Each planet has its own characteristics, with differing inhabitants and features.

As well as flying through space, you must dart through tunnels under the planets, which restricted your movement range but are where most of the weapons are. As you go along you'll have to obtain objects from people, and trade them so as to be able to complete your main objectives.

The biggest advance from the original Starglider was seen as the polygon graphics, which are filled on 16-bit systems, and contain considerable detail.

Forums

Trivia

Extras

As with Carrier Command, some versions of the game - definitely the ZX Spectrum and the Atari ST version - came with a cassette tape containing Dave Lowe's full instrumental theme, performed in the studio. The Amiga and ST versions had short sampled extracts of Lowe's music, but only 1mb machines. The 128k ZX Spectrum version had a completely original AY theme song.

Manual

As with the original, the game's manual was well-written and filled with puns; your ship was equipped with a Forslook device, and to win the game you had to use the Forslook (groan). Also: space whales.

Paint with Rolf

The game includes a "Paint with Rolf" option (presumably a reference to Rolf Harris). This allowed the player to paint the screen with the game's polygonal objects, and was inspired by Jez San's love of the classic arcade game I, Robot.

Awards

Computer and Video Games

Issue 06/1989 - Runner-up Golden Joystick Award 1989 for Best 16-Bit Game of the Year (reader's vote)